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The effectiveness of clear aligners in correcting malocclusions is closely linked to the properties of the materials used to make them. The polymers used in the manufacture of clear aligners have well-established properties. However, the process of manufacturing clear aligners, known as thermoforming, involves thermal and mechanical shocks that may alter these properties. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of thermoforming on the mechanical, optical, chemical, and morphological properties of sixty PET-G specimens. The study compared the thickness, weight, absorbance, chemical structure, surface roughness, elastic modulus, yield strength, and breaking load of thirty thermoformed specimens with thirty non-thermoformed specimens. The study introduces a new approach by using standardized samples to analyze both chemical and physical properties. The results showed statistically significant differences in thickness (-15%), weight (-11%), and surface roughness (+1233% in roughness average; +1129% in RMS roughness) of the material. Additionally, a correlation was found between reduction in thickness and increase in opalescence. There was no significant change in the functionality of the aligners after thermoforming, as no significant mechanical changes were found. However, the increase in surface roughness may lead to plaque and fluid accumulation and worsen the fit of the aligners.

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Amelogenins are enamel matrix proteins currently used to treat bone defects in periodontal surgery. Recent studies have highlighted the relevance of amelogenin-derived peptides, named LRAP, TRAP, SP, and C11, in bone tissue engineering. Interestingly, these peptides seem to maintain or even improve the biological activity of the full-length protein, which has received attention in the field of bone regeneration. In this article, the authors combined a systematic and a narrative review. The former is focused on the existing scientific evidence on LRAP, TRAP, SP, and C11's ability to induce the production of mineralized extracellular matrix, while the latter is concentrated on the structure and function of amelogenin and amelogenin-derived peptides. Overall, the collected data suggest that LRAP and SP are able to induce stromal stem cell differentiation towards osteoblastic phenotypes; specifically, SP seems to be more reliable in bone regenerative approaches due to its osteoinduction and the absence of immunogenicity. However, even if some evidence is convincing, the limited number of studies and the scarcity of in vivo studies force us to wait for further investigations before drawing a solid final statement on the real potential of amelogenin-derived peptides in bone tissue engineering.

This review aims to analyze the multiple factors affecting patients' level of compliance (how much they wear removable devices/clear aligners) during orthodontic treatments and to investigate the available methods and devices to monitor the appliance wearing time and to improve it. A literature search was conducted on electronic databases (Pubmed, Scopus, and Google Scholar). The results of the present study suggest that compliance indicators may misestimate the intraoral wearing time. Compliance is affected by patient-related factors (age, personality traits, the importance of personal appearance, self-perception of malocclusion), appliance-related factors (visibility, pain/discomfort), and clinician-related factors (trust, clear and complete communication, motivation). The motivation of pre-pubertal patients is mostly external, while adolescents/young adults have intrinsic motivation for orthodontic treatment. Patients' self-reports tend to overestimate the appliance wearing time. Even if there is a lack of evidence, teledentistry might improve patients' awareness of being monitored, thus increasing the time for which orthodontic devices are worn. Compliance is a key factor for clear aligner treatments, but high-quality studies focusing on this aspect are missing. Further studies should focus on how to handle the lack of cooperation and how to increase compliance in order to maximize the treatment's results.

Background: Optimal management of hypodivergent growing patients demands a strict control of vertical dimension and to exploit the growth potential. If a deep bite malocclusion causes a traumatic contact between the upper and lower incisors and affects the facial appearance, an early interceptive treatment is recommended. The aim of this case report is to outline the clinical management of the occlusal plane of a growing Class II division 1 deep bite patient treated with aligners and Class II elastics. Methods: The treatment lasted 11 months and was divided into two phases. Treatment goals included improvement of the soft tissue profile and basal bone relationships through an increase in the mandibular third of the face and a sagittal advancement of the mandible. The correction of the curve of Spee involved intrusion of the mandibular incisors and extrusion of the mandibular premolars. Results: The cephalometric analysis at the end of the treatment displayed significant differences in the skeletal and occlusal pattern along with aesthetic improvements. Conclusion: The final cephalogram showed a consistency between the planned tooth movement and the clinical results. Although definitive recommendations must be withheld until longer follow-up is available, the patient presented here shows that the treatment protocol yielded positive mandibular growth.

PURPOSE: Facially malformed patients often present a variable degree of facial imbalance even after basal bone correction, and resolution of the residual hard- and soft-tissue deficiencies and asymmetries of the face are of great importance for achieving a satisfactory post-implant procedure result. The use of polyether ether ketone (PEEK) implants for maxillofacial reconstruction has been documented in the literature, but the number of patients who have received them is limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the overall volumetric results in patients with facial imbalance after onlay custom implant positioning for mandible and fronto-orbital reconstructions. Analysis was performed by confronting volumes with the use of three-dimensional (3D) photogrammetry. METHODS: Fifteen patients were eligible for PEEK implant placements, eight for mandibular angle reconstruction, and seven for fronto-orbital reconstruction. Pre- and post-surgical 3D images of each patient's face were acquired. Facial asymmetry was analyzed by comparing each face with its mirrored copy. RESULTS: Three-dimensional analyses have shown that some degree of volume imbalance was still present in the patients with only 1.32 ± 1.02 mm residual discrepancy after treatment. CONCLUSION: Results of the study were found to fall within clinically acceptable limits since an asymmetry rate of < 3 mm is considered to fall into the norm.

Background and Objectives: Previous literature has disclosed that facial attractiveness affects the esthetic evaluation of nose and lip deformity on frontal and lateral photographs. However, it has never been debated if the removal of the external facial features on three-dimensional (3D) models ("cropped assessment bias") could provide a considerable usefulness in the interpretation and comparison of the results. Additionally, it has been assumed on two-dimensional (2D) studies that esthetic assessment biases with respect to observer gender, and it is not acknowledged if and to the extent that "gender assessment bias" may be influenced by a three-dimensional layout. The aim of this study is to investigate if facial traits and observers' gender may affect the esthetic ratings of unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) patients after soft tissue reconstruction. Materials and Methods: Three-dimensional images of ten UCLP patients' images were acquired before the intervention (T0), one-month (T1) and six-months (T2) postoperative. Geomagic® software (version 2014; 3D Systems, Rock Hill, SC, USA) was used to remove the external facial features of 3D surface models. Five-point scale developed by Asher-McDade et al. was used to rate both nasolabial attractiveness and impairment for full-face (FF) and cropped-face (CF) 3D images. Forty-three judges (21 males, 22 females) were enrolled for the esthetic evaluation. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to test intra- and inter-examiner reliability; a value of 0.7 was set as the minimum acceptable level of reliability. Results: When comparing the 2 sets of observations (FF and CF), the ICC ranged from 0.654 to 0.823. Concerning gender assessment bias, the ICC ranged from 0.438 to 0.686 and from 0.722 to 0.788 for males and females, respectively. Concerning inter-examiner reliability, ICC for questions 2-7 ranged from 0.448 to 0.644 and from 0.659 to 0.817 at T0 and T2, respectively. Conclusions: The removal of exte

Background: Zimmermann-Laband-1 syndrome (ZLS-1; OMIM# 135500) is a rare genetic disorder whose oral pathognomonic sign is the development of progressive, diffuse, and severe gingival hypertrophy. Most children with abnormally gingival hyperplasia may also present multiple unerupted teeth and skeletal deformities of maxillary arches (i.e., skeletal anterior open bite). Despite phenotypic variability of the clinical spectrum, gingival fibromatosis is the hallmark of ZLS-1. Method: In this study, we report a 3-year-old male patient with a ZLS-1-related gingival overgrowth and failure of eruption of the deciduous teeth in the molar area. Surgical excision was performed under general anesthesia. Results: At three weeks follow-up, esthetics was significantly improved in terms of gingival appearance, and teeth eruption allowed an adequate masticatory function. Conclusion: In severe cases, surgical removal of the hyperplasic fibrous tissue may be required to expose unerupted teeth and establish a proper gingival contour. Surgical excision under general anesthesia is an elective procedure for patients with special needs, mental disability, as well as young and adult patients with dental anxiety type II and IV associated with poor oral health.

Objectives: To introduce a new, fast, reliable, and free from software-related bias method to predict three-dimensionally the root position and angulation during and after orthodontic treatment. The final goal is to keep to a minimum the use of ionizing radiation by eliminating the necessity of multiple radiation exposure for checking root alignment. Setting and Sample Population: Pre- and post-treatment digital models and cone-beam computed tomographic (CBCT) scans from a patient were retrieved. Material and Methods: The post-treatment digital model (post-model) was set as the reference; pre- and post-treatment CBCT scans were pre-aligned to the post-model with a point set registration; iterative closest point algorithm was then employed for final adjustments. The accuracy of the proposed method was assessed by comparing the average distance between the expected root position setup with the true position of the roots, as from the post-treatment CBCT. Results: After crown superimposition, 3D colour maps showed that the accuracy of the root prediction was below 0.1 mm. Conclusion: The proposed digital workflow allows to predict in an accurate and truly three-dimensional way the final position of roots, when an initial CBCT is available, without the need of an extra X-ray examination for the patient at the end of treatment. The limitation of the exposure to mid- and post-treatment X-rays is in accordance with the ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) principle and it is even more relevant in growing patients.

The need to rehabilitate severely compromised teeth is frequent in daily clinical practice. Tooth extraction and replacement with dental implant represents a common treatment choice. However, the survival rate for implants is inferior to teeth, even if severely damaged but properly treated. In order to reestablish a physiological supracrestal tissue attachment of damaged teeth and to arrange an efficient ferrule effect, three options can be considered: crown lengthening, orthodontic extrusion and surgical extrusion. Crown lengthening is considered an invasive technique that causes the removal of part of the bony support, while both orthodontic and surgical extrusion can avoid this inconvenience and can be used successfully in the treatment of severely damaged teeth. The aim of the present narrative review is to compare advantages, disadvantages, time of therapy required, contraindications and complications of both techniques.

The human body is naturally colonized by a huge number of different commensal microbial species, in a relatively stable equilibrium. When this microbial community undergoes dysbiosis at any part of the body, it interacts with the innate immune system and results in a poor health status, locally or systemically. Research studies show that bacteria are capable of significantly influencing specific cells of the immune system, resulting in many diseases, including a neoplastic response. Amongst the multiple different types of diseases, pancreatic cancer and liver cirrhosis were significantly considered in this paper, as they are major fatal diseases. Recently, these two diseases were shown to be associated with increased or decreased numbers of certain oral bacterial species. These findings open the way for a broader perception and more specific investigative studies, to better understand the possible future treatment and prevention. This review aims to describe the correlation between oral dysbiosis and both pancreatic cancer and liver cirrhotic diseases, as well as demonstrating the possible diagnostic and treatment modalities, relying on the oral microbiota, itself, as prospective, simple, applicable non-invasive approaches to patients, by focusing on the state of the art. PubMed was electronically searched, using the following key words: "oral microbiota" and "pancreatic cancer" (PC), "liver cirrhosis", "systemic involvement", and "inflammatory mediators". Oral dysbiosis is a common problem related to poor oral or systemic health conditions. Oral pathogens can disseminate to distant body organs via the local, oral blood circulation, or pass through the gastrointestinal tract and enter into the systemic circulation. Once oral pathogens reach an organ, they modify the immune response and stimulate the release of the inflammatory mediators, this results in a disease. Recent studies have reported a correlation between oral dysbiosis and the increased risk of pancreatic

Haematemesis is a worrying sign, generally related to acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding and potentially life-threatening condition. We present a case of a 15-year-old Caucasian girl who was belatedly diagnosed with oral bleeding because it was not related to the most common aetiologic factors. In fact, she was undergoing orthodontic treatment with a Nance palatal arch, an appliance used to reinforce anchorage during teeth movements. In her case haematemesis was a sign of inflammation and necrosis occurring in the palatal mucosa, under the acrylic button of palatal arch. The appliance was removed; antibiotic and Chlorhexidine 0.12% were recommended. After a 6-week follow-up, no pathological signs were present and the orthodontic treatment was resumed. Both physicians and dentists should be aware of the possible side effect of the Nance palatal arch use; this could help in achieving a diagnosis and providing a correct treatment. Orthodontists should avoid excessive compression over the palatal mucosa and check the appliance condition during every follow-up in order to avoid necrosis of the palatal mucosa.

Background: To evaluate the effectiveness of conservative treatment with functional appliances for condylar fractures in pediatric age. Methods: Four electronic databases (PubMed, EBSCO, Scopus, and Web of Science) were consulted with no restriction of publication status or year, up to 31 August 2020. Selection criteria: based on the PICOS criteria, the selection criteria were set for observational human studies, with at least 10 patients and six months of follow-up. The study population included pediatric patients (aged 5–16 years), with unilateral or bilateral condylar fracture, treated with functional appliances. Condylar remodeling and mandibular growth were analyzed through sequential radiographic examinations. Data collection and analysis: Two independent reviewers carried out title-abstract screening, and a senior investigator was involved to solve any disagreement. The quality of the evidence was assessed through the Canada Institute of Health Economics (IHE) quality appraisal checklist, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) quality assessment tool. Results: A total of 971 articles were retrieved from the electronic search; among them, three studies met the eligibility criteria. A moderate risk of bias was detected in all the studies, due to common limitations (absence of multicenter studies, prospective design, blindness of the investigators, patients’ drop-out). At follow-up examinations (between 6 months and 4.9 years), the difference of condylar neck length between the “injured” and “healthy” side was approximately 2 mm, while the anteroposterior condylar width discrepancy was recorded up to 1 mm. Conclusions: Short-and long-term data revealed that conservative treatment with functional appliances led to partial or full radiological recovery of the joint morphology, along with good to excellent functional results. Patients’ age has a crucial role on the treatment choice, and the type of fracture (presence of condylar displacement, or dislocation) i

Introduction: Anterior crossbite (AC) is defined as a reverse sagittal relationship between maxillary and mandibular incisors. According to an evidence-based orthodontic triage, the treatment need of AC is indicated if any occlusal interference is forcing the mandible towards a Class III growth pattern. Removable and fixed appliances have been suggested to correct AC. Objective: The present report aims at presenting the benefits of an alternative therapy for the early treatment of anterior crossbite using clear aligners. Methods: Two cases of anterior crossbite corrected using clear aligners in 8-years-old children are presented. Results: In both cases, AC was successfully corrected within 5 months. At the end of the treatment, overjet and overbite were corrected. No major discomfort or speech impairment was noticed by the parents. Conclusions: Due to the perceived shortcomings of alternative approaches, the use of clear aligners for correcting AC in mixed dentition should be considered as a comfortable and well tolerated appliance for young patients.

Background and Purpose. Following the new directives of the European Union, which foresee the amalgam ban, the debate on its hypothetical toxicity has started again. So, the aim of this systematic review is to definitively evaluate the eventual effects of the exposure to Hg in adults and children with and without dental amalgam fillings measuring the Hg concentration in various biological fluids. Methods. A systematic literature search was conducted in four electronic databases (Ovid via PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and CENTRAL) including all available randomised controlled trials published in the last 15 years comparing the use of dental amalgam with composite resins in humans with a follow-up period of at least one year. The primary outcome was the Hg concentration in biological fluids (urine, hair, blood, and saliva) with the aim of assessing their reliability as biomarkers of Hg exposure. The risk of bias was assessed through the Cochrane Collaboration tool and the overall quality of evidence through the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) system. The results of the meta-analysis were expressed using a random-effects model, and their power was assessed through the trial sequential analysis (TSA). Results. From the initial 2555 results, only 6 publications were included in the review: five were considered as having high risk of bias, whereas one as having moderate risk. Only two articles were eligible for quantitative analysis. The meta-analysis gathered data from 859 patients but was nevertheless not significant (p = 0.12). The TSA confirmed this evidence revealing that it was due to a lack of statistical power since the required information size (RIS) threshold is not reached. Conclusions. The existing evidence revealed that there are not enough data to support the hypothesis that restorations with dental amalgam can cause nephrotoxicity when compared with composite resins restorations.

Background: This systematic review summarizes the current knowledge on the superimposition of three-dimensional (3D) diagnostic records to realize an orthodontic virtual patient. The aim of this study is to analyze the accuracy of the state-of-the-art digital workflow. Methods: The research was carried out by an electronic and manual query eectuated from ISS (Istituto Superiore di Sanità in Rome) on three dierent databases (MEDLINE, Cochrane Library and ISI WEB OF SCIENCE) up to 31st January 2020. The search focused on studies that superimposed at least two dierent 3D records to build up a 3D virtual patient—information about the devices used to acquire 3D data, the software used to match data and the superimposition method applied have been summarized. Results: 1374 titles were retrieved from the electronic search. After title-abstract screening, 65 studies were selected. After full-text analysis, 21 studies were included in the review. Dierent 3D datasets were used: facial skeleton (FS), extraoral soft tissues (ST) and dentition (DENT). The information provided by the 3D data was superimposed in four dierent combinations: FS + DENT (13 papers), FS + ST (5 papers), ST + DENT (2 papers) and all the types (FS + ST + DENT) (1 paper). Conclusions: The surface-based method was most frequently used for 3D objects superimposition (11 papers), followed by the point-based method (6 papers), with or without fiducial markers, and the voxel-based method (1 paper). Most of the papers analyzed the accuracy of the superimposition procedure (15 papers), while the remaining were proof-of-principles (10 papers) or compared dierent methods (3 papers). Further studies should focus on the definition of a gold standard. The patient is going to have a huge advantage from complete digital planning when more information about the spatial relationship of anatomical structures are needed: ectopic, impacted and supernumerary teeth, root resorption and angulations, cleft lip and palate (CL/P)

Aim: Microbial colonization of the mouth in children with cleft lip and palate (CLP) is a very important issue to be known and monitored by clinicians. In fact, the obturator plates used in CLP patients, similarly to dentures, are predisposed to the accumulation of aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms, which may lead to alteration of the normal flora either of the mouth and of the nose. The aim of this study is to understand the microbial colonization that can develop on the surface of orthopedic devices. Method: Repeated samples from the internal (IS) and external surfaces (ES) of nasoalveolar moulding devices and maxillary gingivas (MG) of a unilateral cleft lip and palate child were taken with a sterile cotton swab, transferred into 1 ml of transport medium and immediately sent to the microbiology laboratory. Aliquots of 0.1 ml samples were 10-fold serially diluted and plated into selected media for Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria and for yeasts; after incubation at 36-37 °C for 48 hours, typical colonies were enumerated and calculated as cfu/ml. Matrixassisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-SM)) for microbial identification was then performed. The samples were taken five times, once a month, and gingival swabs were also taken from parents.Results: Oral sample swabs confirmed the presence of a variety of colonizers: Corynebacterium amycolatum, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Enterococcus faecalis, Enterobacter cloacae, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Streptococcus gordonii, Streptococcus salivarius, Streptococcus mitis, Streptococcus parasanguis, Stafilococcus epidermidis, Candida lusitanie, Stafilococcus aureus. The most prevalent microorganisms were Enterobacter cloacae, Streptococcus mitis and Candida lusitaniae; sequential samples revealed an increasing variety of microbial species. It is interesting to note that the bacteria isolated from the MG of the child were the same of those found in the oral cavity swabs taken from the fat

Aim: Cleidocranial dysostosis (CCD) is a rare congenital bone disorder with an autosomal dominant hereditary inheritance pattern. This disorder can be caused by mutation in the transcription factor CBFA1 (RUNX2). The CBFA1 gene is essential for membranous as well as endochondral bone formation. The estimated prevalence of CCD is one per million, but it is most likely underdiagnosed because of the relative lack of medical complications in comparison to other skeletal dysplasias. CCD is reported in all ethnic groups, and there is no sex predilection. Clinically, CCD is characterized by hypoplastic/aplastic clavicles, brachycephalic skull, midface hypoplasia, delayed closure of fontanelles and moderately short stature. The most common dentoalveolar characteristics of CCD are: over-retained deciduous teeth with unresorbed roots, supernumerary teeth, retarded eruption, reduced height of the lower third of the face and a skeletal Class III tendency due to an underdevelopment of the maxilla and to an upward and forward mandibular rotation, seriously delayed root development of the permanent teeth. The multidisciplinary treatment procedure consists of a surgical phase followed by an orthodontic treatment, in which extrusion forces are applied. Methods: A 18-years-old male student presented at Gemelli Hospital in June 2016 because of pain in the upper right back-molar region. Clinical and radiographic examinations revealed an extensive cavity in the upper right first molar and impactation of numerous teeth. In addition, supernumerary teeth were evident at orthopantomography. During treatment, an accidental pulp exposure occurred, so an interim medication with calcium hydroxide was performed. After 1 week, the patient keep on being symptomatic and returned for a recall evaluation, reporting pain and sensitivity. After local anesthesia (3% mepivacaine with noradrenaline 1:100.000) and rubber dam isolation, the pulp chamber was accessed using a spherical diamond bur and further

OBJECTIVE: To date, no systematic review has been undertaken to identify the complications of segmental osteotomies. The aim of the present systematic review was to analyze the type and incidence of complications of segmental osteotomies, as well as the time of subjective and/or clinical onset of the intra- and post-operative problems. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A search was conducted in two electronic databases (MEDLINE - Pubmed database and Scopus) for articles published in English between 1 January 2000 and 30 August 2015; only human studies were selected. Case report studies were excluded. Two independent researchers selected the studies and extracted the data. Two studies were selected, four additional publications were recovered from the bibliography search of the selected articles, and one additional article was added through a manual search. RESULTS: The results of this systematic review demonstrate a relatively low rate of complications in segmental osteotomies, suggesting this surgical approach is safe and reliable in routine orthognathic surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Due to the small number of studies included in this systematic review, the rate of complication related to surgery first approach may be slightly higher than those associated with traditional orthognathic surgery, since the rate of complications of segmental osteotomies must be added to the complication rate of basal osteotomies. A surgery-first approach could be considered riskier than a traditional one, but further studies that include a greater number of subjects should be conducted to confirm these findings.

Background: The effects of publishing case reports on journal impact factor and their impact on future research in pediatric dentistry has not been clearly evaluated yet. Aim. To assess the relevance and role of case reports in pediatric dentistry. Methods: A systematic review (PROSPERO registration number: CRD42018108621) of all case reports published between 2011 and 2012 in the three major pediatric dentistry journals was performed manually. Data regarding citations of each report were acquired from the Institute for Scientific Information database available online. The authors analyzed information regarding citations (number, percentage, and mean) received by each case report and considered their relation with the 2013 journal impact factor. Results: Case reports accounted for almost sixteen per cent of all articles published between 2011 and 2012. The citation rate of case reports was generally low and the highest mean citation was 0.5. This review revealed that 6 (9.52%) case reports had at least 5 citations and that the majority of the citing articles were also case reports (27.78%) or narrative reviews (25%). Conclusions: The publication of case reports affected the journal impact factor in a negative way, this influence is closely related to the percentage of the published case reports. Case reports about innovative topics, describing rare diseases, syndromes, and pathologies were more frequently cited.

Cleft Lip and Palate

BACKGROUND: The management of unilateral complete cleft lip and palate patients (UCCLP) requires a combination of orthopedics and surgery. Depending to the forces involved, pre-surgical orthopedic appliances are classified into active or passive. An active approach employs controlled forces to move maxillary segments in the direction of where alveolar bone apposition is desired, while passive devices act as an obturator that covers the palate and maintains the distance between the two maxillary segments. Nowadays, increasing number of cleft centres uses 3D model imaging and landmark digitization in order both to obtain repeated measurements of all casts (minimizing interoperator and intraoperator error) and improve accuracy of data analysis, sharing and storage for documentation and research purposes. Aim of the cast study is a three dimensional analysis of subsequent changes to maxillary arches following different orthopedic procedures in the treatment of patients with UCCLP. METHODS:Two male patients with congenital non-syndromic unilateral complete cleft lip and palate (III Veau class) on the left side are considered to enter the study. The inclusion criteria are the absence of syndromic or medically compromised conditions. The exclusion criteria is the presence of prior surgical or orthopedic treatments. The study reports the results achieved at the last month of the therapy. A putty-wash procedure was adopted: patients underwent an initial impression taken by a silicone putty-dough of heavy consistency with a light-cured acrylic custom-made impression tray and then a light-consistency polyvinyl elastomeric fast-setting material was placed exclusively in the tray above the heavy stage for the final impression. After an ADA Type III plaster cast was poured, an hard self-cured acrylic resin plate was realized. All the orthopedic devices were fabricated by the same laboratory technician. In patient A, the stone cast was duplicated and then discarded 1 mm in the mid

BACKGROUND: Presurgical infant orthopedic therapy was introduced by McNeil in 1956 in order to facilitate patients’ feeding ando to provide stimulation and guidance of maxillary segments’ growth as well as to facilitate surgical management of cleft lip and palate patients. To quantify soft-tissue labial changes in patients treated different orthopedic appliances for the correction of unilateral complete cleft lip and palate (UCCLP) a new three-dimensional (3D) software (3dMD, Atlanta,Ge) was employed. Previous studies have used this new technology to investigate the growth rate and the effectiveness of orthopedic equipment in patients affected by UCCLP. The aim of the study is to evaluate three dimensional subsequent changes to nasolabial area following different orthopedic procedures in the treatment of patients with UCCLP. METHODS: Three male patients with congenital non-syndromic unilateral complete cleft lip and palate (III Veau class) on the left side are presented in this report. The study reports the results achieved at the last month of the therapy. As described in the putty-wash technique, maxillary impressions covering the critical areas of the alveolar ridge and palate cleft were taken in two stages using putty-dough and light-bodied fast setting polyvinyl siloxane (PVs) impression materials with a light-cured resin custom-made impression tray. ADA Type III plaster casts were poured. All the orthopedic devices were fabricated by the same laboratory technician. In patient A, the stone cast was duplicated and then discarded 1 mm in the midsagittal plane before plate realization in order to reduce the transversal discrepancy between maxillary segments prior to surgery. The cast replica was used to realize a custom tray. In patient B, after alveolar segments had achieved a proper alignment, clinicians decided to realize a final passive plate in order to avoid recurrence. According with the Cutting-Grayson technique, in patient C a nasal stent was applied with

Cowden's Syndrome (CS) is a rare congenital autosomal dominant disorder that affects around 1/200000 patients with an incomplete penetrance and variable expressivity, characterized by alterations in a tumor suppressor gene. A 14-year-old Caucasian male patient came to the attention of the authors complaining of palm nodules, gingival bleeding and painful pedunculated lesions on the lips and on the labial side of anterior sextants. After genetic investigation the final diagnosis of a Cowden Syndrome was made. The lesions were surgically removed under general anesthesia and no clinical signs of recurrence were found three months after surgical excision. Considering the severe symptoms of the syndrome and the strong tendency to malignant development of the associated lesions all clinicians should focus their efforts to the early diagnosis and, when possible, multidisciplinary treatment.